Oh, John. For heaven's sake.
The problem is I am really British, so I find this all really uncomfortable
and I just immediately want to go, "This is ridiculous," and run off.
I've been in complete denial about this entire evening,
which I normally sort of think is a really good approach to life.
And... just to pretend stuff's not happening.
But I've realized it's not really, um, cause you're all staring at me.
And I've sort of underestimated how lovely it is to have all those people
saying such lovely things about me cause I love them all very much.
And, um, and especially John bloody Lithgow,
[Appause]
and I've got to say, in life, in general,
now having worked with John and getting to know him as a person
and having the honor of working with him, I kind of do this- sorry John, this is a bit weird
- I do this thing now where if I'm having like a, you know, like a really big decision to make in life,
I think, "What would John Lithgow do?"
Um, so, I mean, what would you do John?
I think you'd probably be really gracious, and lovely, and very funny.
Unfortunately I can't be John Lithgow, um, but, you know, I want to say thank you very
much to BAFTA LA, very, very much.
This is a huge honor, and it's a huge honor just to be in this room and also be even in
the presence of all the other people who are honored this evening.
It's amazing.
And also, Dick Van Dyke, as a British person, and as the Queen of England
Can I just say your accent's perfect!
So don't listen to Jack Whitehall.
[Appause]
You're amazing!
I am incredibly proud of being a working member of the British television and film industry,
but also just in general of our industry, not a day goes by when I'm at work
where I don't pinch myself and can't quite believe that I'm allowed to be involved in any way.
It really is such a huge, huge honor to me.
I can't quite figure out what it is I do for a living, or why it is that I do it.
The only thing I know is that it's magic, and it's magical to be involved in it,
and I'm grateful every single day, so thank you very, very much.
I also want to say- just, sorry- just, you know, I actually- um
an actor is only an actor if they have words to say,
and someone directs them, and puts clothes on them.
Otherwise you're just sort of in your bedroom, feeling things on your own.
And maybe that is acting, I don't know.
It's practicing, I don't know what it is.
But, so, I just want to thank everyone who's ever given me a job, essentially, because
it takes a great leap of faith sometimes to believe that you're capable of doing anything,
and lots of incredible people have had that faith in me.
So I thank you very much, for that.
For that confidence-giving and none more so than Peter Morgan and Stephen Daldry, and everybody
at Left Bank Pictures and Netflix and Philip Martin and Suzanne Mackey and Andy Harries
who all decided that I could play this part that I had no idea I could do.
But they did, and they let me stretch my legs and have a go at it.
And I will be eternally grateful, and I definitely would not have this
if it wasn't for that part.
So thank you very much and my dad, thanks Dad, cause my Dad is here.
Um, and thanks, and have an amazing, amazing evening, and thank you very much.
Thank you John, thank you.